Kent State University
Political Science Department
SEM: OHIO POLITICS & STATE GOVERNMENT
POL-40995-001-173888
Fall 2015
Instructor: Professor Jamie Callender
Office Phone/Voice Mail:
(216) 235-6854 (cell)
(440) 299-8500 (office)
Jamie@Callender.com
Days: Monday 3:30pm - 4:45pm
Tuesday, 8:15am - 9:30am
Office Hours: Office Hours: by Appointment and/or Announced (times & location to be arranged)
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND EXPECTATIONS
The primary objective of this course is to provide the student with an overview and understanding of
the basic organizational structure, processes, powers and functions of state and government
(particularly Ohio state government) in the United States and its place within the federal system. In a
democracy, it is absolutely vital that the people (who are, after all, the ultimate rulers), know and
understand what their government, at all levels, does and how it operates. Without that knowledge,
citizens will not be aware of the relevance of the government in their daily lives, nor will they be
able to take effective actions to influence governmental policy. An informed citizenry is an essential
ingredient to a strong and successful democracy.
REQUIRED TEXT
Ohio Government and Politics, Paul Sracic and William Binning, CQ Press, 2016
Students should also read the daily newspapers in order to stay informed of current political issues
and developments in the states, and especially Ohio, as this may be helpful in furthering your
understandings of state government and politics. This may also help when writing research papers.
There will be periodic hand-outs to supplement the texts.
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this course. While this is a Political Science course, there is no
assumption of background in that subject area, and all of the basics will be covered early in the
semester. These basics will be introduced in the context of Ohio state government, so the overview
will also be helpful to political science students.
GRADING
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Final grades will be determined based upon the quality of work in fulfilling course requirements (i.e.
three (3) written exams, a research project, and class participation).
First Exam ................................................................................................................. 200 pts.
Second Exam ............................................................................................................ 200 pts.
Final Exam ………………………………………………………………………….200 pts
Effort/Participation ................................................................................................... 100 pts.
Special Paper/Project ................................................................................................ 200 pts.
Report on Election Experience……………………………………………………..100 pts.
Total Points ............................................................................................................. 1000 pts.
Grading Scale:
Final grades will be determined based upon the total number of points accumulated throughout the
quarter.
Grade
Points Accumulated
A
=
900-1000 points (90%)
B
=
800-899 points (80%)
C
=
700-799 points (70%)
D
=
600-699 points (60%)
F
=
0-599 points
EXAMS, PAPERS, PROJECTS
Unless otherwise stated in class, exams will be taken in class (i.e. no take home exams) and will
include a combination of multiple choice, fill-in, short identification and essay questions, and will
pertain to current events as well as course material. All external aids, such as notes, books, etc. will
be prohibited during the exam period, unless otherwise instructed beforehand. If a student misses a
scheduled exam, he/she will receive a grade of “0" or “F” for that exam.
All students must make every effort to take the tests on the days and times scheduled. Make-up tests
WILL NOT be provided unless students have a DOCUMENTED reason for absence, e.g. doctor’s
appointment (must have note), death in the family (notice from paper), or have notified me in
advance of your absence. If a make-up is permitted, the student must take the exam within one week
of the original date of the exam unless granted an extension by the instructor. A failure to take the
make-up within the time specified will result in a grade of “F” or “0" for that exam. It is the
responsibility of the student to make arrangements to take the make-up. All students, without
exception, must take the exams. Those who do not will receive a grade of “0" or “F” for the final,
and it WILL be incorporated into the final grade.
Note: Once any test is distributed, students may NOT leave the class without permission of the
instructor. This requirement is necessary since students may use the opportunity to look at notes or
other study aid to help them pass the exam. Those students who ignore this request will
unfortunately receive a grade of “F” for that exam.
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Special Project/Paper: Students are required to complete a special research project, submit a paper
summarizing their results, and present their findings in a class presentation. The research project is
designed to provide students with an opportunity to select/explore a topic (in state government/Ohio
politics) of their interest. Students should use the wealth of resources available in academic journals,
government publications, current news reports, and other relevant material. Students may also
conduct interviews of stakeholders or elected or appointed officials to gain special insights about
public policy issues, processes, and procedures. Topics and research strategies should be discussed
with Professors Sykes and Callender to help students define the focus and scope of each project. The
paper should include a bibliography and sufficient citations to document the sources of their
research. The paper should be twelve (12) to fifteen (15) pages, doubled space, and may be handed in
at any time during the semester (electronically or in-class), but no later than the end of the class
period on December 8, 2015. Any paper received after that time will be considered “late” and may
be penalized one letter grade. Each additional class period late may be penalized similarly. Under
NO circumstances will a paper be accepted after the last day of classes. Students who do not hand in
a paper at all will receive a grade of “0" or “F” and it will be incorporated into the final grade. The
special paper /project will fulfill the requirement for both the Special Topics and Briefings
courses.
Election Project: Each student shall volunteer for a candidate or an issue for the November
election. This shall include at least twenty (20) hours of volunteer time. Students MUST provide
proof of time spent (i.e. statement with signature of supervisor). Students MUST provide a brief
synopsis/report/present about their experience.
EFFORT/PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE : Students will also be expected to attend each
class session and to demonstrate effort and contribute to class discussion. The following is required:
attending class regularly, being alert and paying attention to class proceedings (sleeping or
daydreaming in class will be penalized), being prepared by having read assigned material before
class, contributing to group activities and assignments, answering questions asked by the instructor,
asking questions, and sharing observations and insights with the class as a whole. Students are
required to bring their textbooks to class and refer to them to refresh memories if necessary. Failure
to attend 2 classes without a written excuse will result in a a lowering of the participation grade by
20 points, with an additional 20 points lowered for each class missed over two.
Additional Assistance: If students ever have questions or need clarification about course topics and
class procedure, or are having trouble understanding the material covered in class and in the tests, I
will always try to be as accessible and available as I can for consultation. Students are encouraged to
ask questions during class, after class, through e-mail, or by making an appointment to meet with me.
Student Responsibilities: While occasional absences and lateness to class are sometimes
unavoidable, excessive absences, chronic lateness, leaving class before it is ended, sleeping in class,
whispering, giggling and passing notes amongst students are all examples of extremely rude
behavior. Students engaging in, or persisting in, these types of behavior will be penalized - that is,
3
points will be deducted from their final grade. Also please turn off all pagers/cellular telephones
when in the classroom as they can often be distracting during class.
Students will be expected to have read the assigned material and be prepared to participate in class
discussion. While the format of the class periods will be primarily a lecture style, questions from
students and discussions are encouraged at all times during the class period.
Extra Credit
Students may earn up to one-hundred (100 points) extra credit points if they write a research paper
(15 - 20 pages). Student should contact professor during office hours to talk about extra credit
opportunities.
CHEATING/PLAGIARISM
University policy 3-01.8 deals with the problem of academic dishonesty, cheating, and plagiarism.
None of these will be tolerated in this class. The sanctions provided in this policy will be used to
deal with any violations. If you have any questions, please read the policy at:
http://www.kent.edu/policyreg/policydetails.cfm?customel_datapageid_1976529=2037779 and/or
ask.
ENROLLMENT
The official registration deadline for this course is August 26, 2015. University policy requires all
students to be officially registered in each class they are attending. Students who are not officially
registered for a course by published deadlines should not be attending classes and will not receive
credit or a grade for the course. Each student must confirm enrollment by checking his/her class
schedule (using Student Tools in FlashLine) prior to the deadline indicated. Registration errors must
be corrected prior to the deadline. The last date to withdraw from this class is September 7, 2015.
Every class has its own schedule of deadlines and considerations. To view the add/drop schedule
and other important dates for this class, go to the Student Tools & Courses tab in FlashLine
and choose either View or Print Student Schedule. To see the deadlines for this course, click on
the CRN or choose the Drop or Add a Course link and click on the green clock next to the
course under Registration Deadlines.
STUDENT WITH DISABILITIES
University policy 3342-3-01.3 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable
accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability
and require accommodations, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to make
arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility
for these through Student Accessibility Services (contact 330-672-3391 or visit www.kent.edu/sas
for more information on registration procedures).
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COURSE CONTENT AND DATES
Part I
THE FOUNDATIONS
Syllabus review
Introduction to the Socratic method of teaching
Course Overview of State Government in Ohio
Monday, September 7: No Class, Statehouse Closed (Labor Day)
Tuesday, September 8: No Class, CPII move-in date
Monday, September 14:
Syllabus review
Introduction to the Socratic method of teaching
Course Overview - State Government in Ohio
U.S. History and the beginnings of "Ohio"
Chapters 1 and 2
Tuesday, September 15: Ohio History
The election of 1800
Northwest land ordinance
Chapter 2 plus review documents
(Reminder: Read Ohio news reports)
Monday, September 21: Ohio History
Ohio’s first constitution
The beginning of 3 branches in Ohio
Chapter 2 plus preview Chapter 3
Part II
THE ELEMENTS
Tuesday, September 22: Legislative Branch
Chapter 3
Monday, September 28: The Executive Branch- Part I & II (Elected)
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Chapter 4
Tuesday, September 29: Executive Branch (Appointed, OAC).
(Reminder: Read Ohio news reports)
Monday, October 5: Wrap up relationship between Executive and Legislative Branches
Review for First Exam
Tuesday, October 6:
First Exam- (potentially different location) topics covered: History, three branched, how a bill
becomes a law, legislative process, role of each branch.
Monday, October 12: No Class, Statehouse Closed
Tuesday, October 13: The Judicial Branch and Courts in Ohio
Chapter 5
(Reminder: Read Ohio news reports)
Part III
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Monday, October 19: Catch up day- special topic- wrap up of 3 branches
Tuesday, October 20: How it really works- where the money comes from
Chapter 7
Monday, October 26: How it really works- how the money is spent (how a bill becomes a law)
Review for second exam
(Reminder: Read Ohio news reports)
Tuesday, October 27: SECOND EXAM
Monday, November 2: No Class, Volunteer hours in a campaign
Tuesday, November 3: No Class, Election Day - volunteer hours
Monday, November 9:
TURN IN ELECTIONS PROJECT/PAPER
Review and Discuss Election Results and potential impacts
Ohio's role in national politics, both Historical and current issues such as:
 Common Core
 Charter Schools
 Business Climate
 Tax
 Healthcare
o Reread chapter 1
(Reminder: Read Ohio news reports)
Tuesday, November 10: continued- campaign scenario
Monday, November 16: The people, parties, campaigns, and elections
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Chapters 8 and 9
Tuesday, November 17: a complete example- school funding in Ohio
(Reminder: Read Ohio news reports)
November 23 & 24 - No Class, Thanksgiving Break (KSU Thanksgiving Recess, KSU Offices closed
November 26-30).
Monday, November 30: Review and wrap up- special topic
Review for Final Exam
SPECIAL PROJECTS PRESENTATIONS BEGIN
Tuesday, December 1:
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Monday December 7 Pearl Harbor Day
Final Exam
PRESENTATIONS
ALL OUTSTANDING ASSIGNMENTS DUE
Tuesday December 8
SPECIAL PROJECTS/PAPER DUE
REMAINING PRESENTATIONS
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